Results 2,401-2,420 of 3,479 for speaker:Emer Higgins

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Schemes (25 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: 233. To ask the Minister for Finance the current status of the proposed review of the primary medical certificate system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2910/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reviews (25 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: 282. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the progress of the review of the planning system regarding delays to development of housing and critical infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3094/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Statutory Instruments (25 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: 283. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the changes that have been made to SI No. 484 of 2015 - Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015 to enable pensioners to purchase their local authority homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3095/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: 357. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to a campaign by an organisation (details supplied); her views on the campaign; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2889/22]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (25 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: 681. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for excluding the Slievethoul and Saggart Hill forests from the conversion process to multi-generational broadleaf forests under the Dublin Mountains Makeover initiative run by Coillte Nature; if he will consider including these forests in the new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2940/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Chairman and everybody who has contributed. This is an issue I am particularly interested in. It has been a very good discussion. On Ms Graham's contribution, I particularly welcome the circular that was sent around yesterday on the vacant homes officers and the progress that is being made to make sure that they are full time throughout the country. It has been great to hear...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: Wow. I thank Mr. Reynolds. I appreciate that. He has been very succinct.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: I will begin by taking up where Deputy Gould left off on vacancy and what has been done about it up to now. I suggest that people familiarise themselves with the National Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy 2018-2021, which was published in 2018. In May 2020, its report pointed to 420 vacant properties being purchased from financial institutions by local authorities, 62 purchased for sale, 161...

Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022: Second Stage (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: I welcome the opportunity to discuss this Bill. Building and construction regulation, or the lack thereof, has created major issues for homeowners in the past and, unfortunately, it continues to create problems. We have seen from the families impacted by mica and pyrite that issues with standards of building works and materials can have simply devastating consequences. I see at first hand...

Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss this important legislation, which has been long awaited by many people. It follows years of repeated attempts over decades to legislate for information rights for adopted people, all of which ultimately failed. The critical need for this legislation has been recognised by all political parties, by stakeholder groups and by professionals working...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: Yesterday we saw an amazing show of cross-party support in this House on the matter of violence against women, an issue which sadly unites us all. In that vein, I want to extend that cross-party support again today because I was glad to see the Labour Party raising the matter of miscarriage leave. Miscarriage leave is something I have spoken about a number of times in this House and Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Online Safety (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: I will begin by thanking the Minister for progressing everything she is doing in terms of online safety and media regulation. I ask her to consider including an individual complaints mechanism for harmful online content in the legislation she is progressing. This is being called for by many of the NGOs that do such fantastic work in this space.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Online Safety (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: I am pleased the Minister has established this advisory group and that it has such a tight timeframe, 90 days, in which to report back. It is a very complex area, as we know. We need to make sure there is a path through which to escalate individual complaints. I appreciate that this would involve a large population because of so many companies having their EU headquarters here. If there...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Online Safety (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: That sounds comprehensive and is really welcome. It is important that the online safety and media commission will have teeth. A few months ago, I attended a protest organised by young people who feel it is time we as a society faced up to Facebook. Social media companies of this type use algorithms to target people to sell advertisements and generate engagement. As we all saw when...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Legislative Measures (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: 92. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the progress of establishing an expert group to review the possibility of introducing an individual complaints mechanism for harmful online content within the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2300/22]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: 147. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the support available to businesses and performers under the live performance support scheme is sufficient given the ongoing restrictions on the night-time economy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2299/22]

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: My apologies, Chairman. I had to attend a meeting of the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Are you wrapping up now?

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: Thanks very much. I really appreciate that. I thank Leo for all of the documentation he sent me in advance of me joining the committee this week. He provided a hugely helpful induction which I really appreciate. I am glad to be flying the flag for my gender at this committee. There were only two committees in the Oireachtas that did not have a female member but we have righted that for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: I welcome the chairman designate, Mr. O'Rourke, congratulate him on his new position and wish him the very best as he embarks on his journey to help address the housing deficiency in our country. I note his previous experience and am especially taken by his experience in Transport Infrastructure Ireland, which will be very valuable to him in this role. We all know and agree we need to build...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Emer Higgins: Super. I thank everybody who is here today for the informed and helpful discussion. I will direct these questions to Mr. Coleman. I was heartened to hear him speak about the need to develop positive relationships with local authorities. I know this is part of the bread and butter of his role. It was good to hear him on the record clearly dismiss fears of land grabs from local authorities....